Hawkins_Ecology_Unit Pollution

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Identifying Pollution

Sources of Pollution in Narragansett Bay


State Standards

RI GSE LS2 (9-11)

Context of Lesson

This is an lesson in a unit in Ecology, investigating the human impact on ecosystems and the biosphere. In this lesson, students will investigate the following key ideas
  • Watersheds and how water travels into Narragansett Bay
  • Varying sources of pollution in Narragansett Bay
  • The difference between point and nonpoint sources
  • Effects of eutrophication
Students will gain a understanding of reading maps to investigate watersheds. They will also use models to investigate and demonstrate the difference between point and non-point sources.

Opportunities to Learn

Depth of Knowledge
  • Level 1: Students will illustrate the difference between point source and nonpoint source pollution
  • Level 2: Students will construct a model watershed.
  • Level 3: Students will investigate various forms of pollution in the bay

Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should have a basic understanding of balanced ecosystems and how they can be affected by other organisms or modifications. This activity investigates the effects of pollution on the ecosystem.

Plans for Differentiating Instruction
Process: Differentiated instructional methods
  • Inquiry Based Learning: Use of inquiry based learning will help create a student centered learning experience. Students work at their own pace. Students will come up with information that they find relevant and construct meaning through their investigations and research.
  • Cooperative Learning: Use of cooperative learning will help students by allowing the group to investigate individual species and coming together as a whole to make meaning of a larger concept.
  • Differentiation through use of models, maps, and reading in order to accommodate the multiple intelligences.

Accommodations and modifications
  • Student A: Accommodation needed for writing skills and comprehension of directions. Explicit instructions will be given in written and oral form. Graphic organizer will be provided for homework assignment.
  • Other accommodations or modifications will be made according to IEP protocol.

Environmental factors
  • Students working in classroom
  • Students working in groups

Materials
  • Plastic, 3-part salad containers with fold-over clear lid
  • Modeling clay
  • Materials to build and represent different natural and man-made areas in a community such as an industrial area, a residential area, a recreational area, agricultural areas, and a landfill. Materials could include: sponge bits, soil, plastic railroad sized fences, houses and animals, pebbles, dried grasses, twigs, balloons (pond and landfill liners), toothpicks, plastic wrap, aluminum foil (pipes and drainage areas), household non-toxic powdered materials such as kool-aid, spices, flour, sugar etc.
  • Water and spray bottle
  • reference materials: maps, books, etc.


Objectives


Students will be able to...
  • Explain what a watershed is and identify what watershed that they inhabit
  • Explain the difference between a point source and a non point source
  • Identify three sources of pollution in the bay or watershed
  • Conduct an investigation of how pollution travels through watersheds into the Bay
  • Explain what eutrophication is and predict how that might impact the ecological balance in the bay.

Instruction

Opening
Question
  • How would your life be impacted if you did not have access to clean water? How would you survive?
  • Ask the students to think about it and then generate a list up on the board
  • If students are shy or do not respond to question prompts, encourage them by asking them if they have ever wanted to go to the beach, but it was closed. How often do they have a glass of clean water? Etc.
Segue
  • Today we are going to investigate our watershed and learn how pollution occurs
  • We will
    • Identify the watershed in which we live in
    • Differentiate between point and nonpoint source pollution
    • Create a model watershed and illustrate how pollution moves through that watershed.

Engagement
Watershed Identification
  • Group the students in groups of 4 and pass out maps of Rhode Island to them.
  • Ask them to look and see if they can identify the major rivers and bodies of water on them. (While they are doing this, pass out watershed identification activity)
  • Ask students to complete the questions on the watershed identification activity
    Watershedidentification.doc

Point and nonpoint sources and Eutrophication

Create model watershed
  • Reference: Watershed Model
  • Students will create a model watershed to investigate how pollution gets from the watershed into the bay

Closure
  • Ask the students;
    • How did pollution affect your watershed?
    • How did you demonstrate point sources?
    • How did you demonstrate nonpoint sources?
  • Homework: Students will identify 3 sources of pollution in Narragansett Bay and identify them as point source or nonpoint source. How do you think this might impact the organisms in our class food web?

Assessment

  • Watershed Identification Activity
  • Homework: Identify 3 sources of pollution and categorize as point or nonpoint source

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